Bottom center-fold erectable hat box containing an oval hat platform



June 29, 1965' D. BENNETT 3,191,764 BOTTOM CENTER-FOLD ERECTABLE HAT BOX CONTAINING AN OVAL HAT PLATFORM Filed March 19, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. DAV/O Bay/ven- June 29, 1965 D. BENNETT BOTTOM CENTER-FOLD EREGTABLE 'HAT BOX CONTAINING AN OVAL HAT PLATFORM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19. 1964 .0 w A, m. m

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ATTOQ/YEXS 3,191,764 BGTTOM CENTER-FQLD ERECTABLE HAT 39X CONTAINING AN UVAL HAT PLA'IFGRM David Bennett, Valley Stream, N.Y., assignor to Modern Millinery Box orp., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 353,054 9 Claims. (Cl. 266-8) This invention relates to a bottom center-fold erectable hat box containing an oval hat platform.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a hat box of the character described i.e. one containing an oval hat platform, which can be quickly and easily erected from a collapsed condition to a fully open condition, and which will thereupon have the facility to protectively store, i.e. support in predetermined position, a hat within the box.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a hat box of the character described which in its collapsed condition is fiat so that numerous hat boxes of this type can be bundled and packed together in a relatively small storage area prior to their opening and use.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a hat box of the character described which is made of relatively inexpensive paperboard and which when fully open and erect will by virtue of its construction be self-reenforcing so that it will withstand the excessive and rough handling to which such boxes are subjected in use.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a hat box of the character described which can be quickly and easily transformed from a flat storage condition to an erect open position by retail clerks or factory employees with relatively little training.

Although my invention may be embodied in a bottom center-fold hat box having four, six or eight sides, it can be used to best advantage in a six-sided or hexagon hat box, and reference hereinafter will be made only to the latter type of box.

The foregoing and various other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent to the reader in the following description.

My invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the hat box assembly hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hexagon hat box containing an oval hat platform therein, the box and the platform being illustrated in their folded or collapsed position, with one wall of the hat box partially broken away to expose one wall of the platform;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hexagon hat box in fully erect position but with the hat platform in only partially erect condition;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, but with the hat platform in fully erect condition;

FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of, the blank from which the hat platform is formed.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 denotes a hexagon hat box assembly con- United States Patent 0 ?atented June 29, 1965 "ice structed in accordance with my invention. Said assembly 10 comprises two units which are assembled together to form the complete structure, to wit, a center-fold hexagon hat box 12 and an interior oval hat platform 14.

The hexagon hat box 12 is conventional and well known in the trade. It will be described primarily to show its cooperation with the oval hat platform 14. An example of a hexagon hat box 12 is shown and fully described in Berkowitz, United States Letters Patent No. 1,555,054, for Hexagonal Folding Box.

The hat box 12 .is made from a single blank, i.e. a blank consisting of only one piece, of semi-stiff yet light-weight paperboard, e.g. cardboard. The blank for the hat platform 14, subsequently to be described, is constructed in the same manner from the same or similar material. Each blank is made from a larger piece of such material in a conventional manner as, for instance, with steel rules which cut out the form of the blank, cut out the various openings in the blank, and crease the fold lines within the blank.

The hat box 12 consists of a hexagon-shaped bottom wall 16, a hexagonal ring of side walls 18 and a lid 20. The bottom wall 16 comprises two adjoining sections 22, 24 which are mirror images of one another. A centerfold 26 connects the sections 22, 24 and runs centrally and transversely of the bottom wall 16 between two opposed apices of the bottom wall.

The ring of side walls 18 comprises six side walls 28 with parallel walls being of equal contour and dimension, each side wall being contiguous with two side Walls, one on each side. However, it is within the scope of my invention to utilize a hat box of four or eight sides.

The side walls which flank the center fold 26, that is, the side walls 28a and 28b on one side of the bottom wall and the side walls 28d and 28c on the other side of the bottom wall, are connected to adjacent edges of the bottom wall 16 by sets of gores. The set 30 of gores connects the side wall 28a to the bottom wall section 22 and the set 31 of gores connects the side wall 28b to the bottom wall section 24. Similarly, the set 33 of gores con nects the side wall 28d to the section 24 and the set 35 of gores connects the side wall 28c to the section 22 The side walls 28c and 28 are parallel to one another and to the central-fold line 26 and are connected directly (instead of by gores) along their bottom edges respec tively to proximate side edges of sections 24 and 22 of the bottom wall 16.

The lid 20 of the hat box 12 is also hexagonally shaped so that when it closes upon the ring of side walls 18 (when said ring is fully open) the periphery of the lid will fit approximately coincidently upon and not protrude beyond the top edges of the side walls 28. The lid is directly connected along one of its edges to the top edge of the side wall 28 The lid 20 includes a fold connected front flap 32 and flanking fold connected side flaps 34, 36. The front flap 32 has small protruding ear-shaped tabs 38 on each end and the side flaps 34, 36 have tabs 40 on their ends distant from the front flap 32. When the lid 20 is closed on top of the ring of side walls 18, the various tabs on the front and side flaps tuck into small cut-outs in the side walls so that the lid 20 is thereby held closed.

More specifically, the tabs 40 on the side flaps 34, 36 tuck into small cut-outs 42, one in the side wall 28a and the other in the side wall 28c. The tabs 38 on the front flap 32 tuck into suitably shaped slits 44 in the side wall 280.

The top edges of the side walls 280, 23c and 28e also have flaps 46 along their top edges which fold in underneath and aid in supporting the lid 20 when said lid is closed.

The ring of side walls 18 is held closed by a narrow panel 48 which panel is joined directly to one vertical side edge of the side wall 28a. The panel 48 is fixed, as by gluing, to the adjacent side wall 28b so that the proximate vertical side edges of these two side walls are substantially coincident.

The flat folded or storage condition of the hexagon hat box 12 is shown most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 4. When the ring of side walls 18 is collapsed, the ring is made up of two long sides of three side walls each, the side walls 23b, 23c and 28d comprising one side and the side walls 28a, 28e and 28 the other side. The bottom wall 16 is folded along the center-fold 26 on itself so that the section 24 is adjacent and fiat against the section 22. The two sides of the ring of side walls and the sections 22, 24 of the bottom wall 16 lie substantially in parallel planes, with the folded bottom wall interposed between the collapsed sides of the ring.

The conversion of the hexagon hat box 12 from its flat condition shown in FIG. 1 to its fully erect condition shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 can be done with a quick and easy hand motion. The opposite edges (A and B in FIG. 1) of the collapsed box, that is the edge between the walls 28a and 28b, and the edge between the walls forcing the side walls. 23 away from one another into their hexagonal ring shape, forcing the bottom wall 16 to open and move downwardly, with the sections 22, 24 opening along the fold line 26 so that it assumes its final flat position closing the bottom side of the ring of walls. As has been previously mentioned, the hexagon hat box 12 is completely conventional and no claim is made thereto except to the extent that the hat box comprises the supporting structure for and acts in cooperation with the circular hat platform 14.

The blank 51 from which the oval hat platform 14 is formed is elongated and substantially rectangular, and comprises three contiguous sections, viz, a left halfsection 52, a middle section 54, and a right half-section 52, as illustrated in PEG. 8.

It will soon be realized from the description to follow that the half-sections 52 and 52' of the blank are joined together by a flap 56 in the glued-up structure to form a continuous wall. As thus attached, these halfsections 52, 52 combine to form a mirror image 52 of the section 54. The separate designations 52 and 52 will be usedonly in reference to FIG. 8, the reference numeral 52 being used in the remaining figures to denote the composite of these sections. Other reference numerals will be similarly used with and without a prime in reference to the blank in FIG. 8 to designate structure combined in other figures.

The section 54 has a linear top edge 58. A fold line 60 runs parallel to and is coextensive with the edge 58 but is spaced therefrom. Section 54 also has another'fold line 62 which is parallel to the fold line 6% and to the top edge 58. coextensive cuts 63, 65 are located one at each end of the fold line 62 and are collinear therewith. The joint length of the cuts 63, 65 and the fold 28d and 28s, are pushed toward one another thereby line 62 is the same as the length of the fold line ll, and

is the same as the length of the top edge 53.

The-sides of the section 54 are defined in part by parallel coextensive slits 64, 66, the slit 64 being on one side of the section and the slit 66 being on the opposite side. The slits 64, 66 run perpendicularly from the top edge 58 and intersect and run slightly beyond the cuts, respectively, 65, 63. Collinear with the slits 64, 66 are parallel coextensive fold lines 68, 76. Each fold line runs from the interior end of its alfiliated slit to the bottom edge 72 of the section 54. A flap 74 is joined by a fold line 75 directly to acentral portion of the bottom edge 72.

The half-sections 52 and 52' are defined, respectively, by top edges 76, 76. The edges 76, 76 are collinear with the top edge 58 of the section 54. The half-sections 52, 52' are defined respectively on their sides by the 4 interior side 73 of the flap 56 and by the edge 78. The half-sections 52, 52' have, respectively, bottom edges 80, 8% which edges are collinear with the bottom edge 72. A half-flap 82 protrudes from one side of the bottom edge 3% and is connected thereto by a fold line 81 and a half-flap 32' correspondingly protrudes from one side of the bottom edge 30 and is connected thereto by a fold line 81'. When the half-sections 52 and 52 are joined as previously mentioned, the half-flaps 82 and 82 join to form a flap 82 which is a mirror image of the flap 74.

The half-sections 52, 52' have, respectively, fold lines 84, 34 parallel to the edges 76, 76' and collinear with the fold line 60. The half-sections 52, 52' have, respectively, further fold lines 86, 86', parallel to the top edges 76, '76 and collinear with the fold line 62 and the cuts 63, 65. Collinear with the fold lines 86, 86' are, respectively, cuts 33, 90, the out 88 leading into the cut 63 and the cut 90 leading into the cut 65. All of the cuts 38, 63, 65. and 90 are of equal length.

Two sets of gores of like contour and dimensions are formed in the blank 56 and, consequently, in the hat platform 14. One set92 of gores is defined by perforated lines. 94, 96 which run at approximately 90 to one another from the same point at the internal end of the slit 66,.respectively, to adjacent portions of the bottom edges 8t), 72 so as to form a triangular segment which is split by the fold line 7% into two gores 98, 160 of equal dimensions and contour. The second set N2 of gores is formed by the perforated lines 194, 166 which run at approximately 90 to one another from the same point at the internal end of the slit 64 to, respectively, adjacent portions of the edges 72 and 86. The fold line 68 splits the ensuing trianguilar segment into two gores 168,

. of equal dimensions and contour.

The hat platform 14 is partially assembled from the blank 50, prior to incorporation into the hat box 12, by first affixing, as by gluing, the flap 56 in the stippled area 1 12 to the marginal vertical side portion of the halfsection 52' so that the edge 78 is substantially coincident with the inner side 78 of the flap 56. The blank is folded into substantially flat posture along the fold lines 68, 78 into two mirror-image sections, to wit, the section 54 and the section 52f (the latter consisting of the half-sections 52 and 52' shown in FIG. 8). The sections 52f and 54 thereby constitute a continuous wall which folds fiat into two equal sections.

As so joined, the sets 92, 102 of gores are disposed on opposite ends of the folded continuous wall, the gores 1%, 198 of, respectively, the sets 92, 162 being coplanar and unitary with the section 54, and the gores 98, 110 of, respectively, the sets 92, 152 being coplanar and unitary with the section 52 Each section 52 54 has two like elongated segments, to wit, an upper segment and a lower segment, on its 'upper edge, formed by the fold lines and cuts previously described. The section 54 has an upper segment 114 (FIG. 8) defined by the edge 58, by the upper portions of the slits 64, 66 and by the fold line 6% The section 54 has a lower segment 116 defined by the fold line 66, by the middle portions of the slits 64, 66 and by the fold line 62 and the cuts 63, 65. The upper segment 114 is folded along fold line 69 flat against the lower segment 116 and is fixed thereto as by gluing in the stippled area 113.

Similarly, the section 52 includes two like elongated segments, an upper segment 120 formed by the top edges 76 and 76, by upper portions of the slits 64, 66 and by the fold lines 34 and 84'. The lower segment 122 is formed by the fold lines 84 and 84, by middle portions of the slits 64, 66 and by the fold lines 36, 86 and the cuts 88, 90. The upper segment 12%) is folded along fold line 84, 34' and is fixed as by gluing in the stippled area 124 fiat against the lower segment 122.

The folding and affixing of the upper segment 114 to the lower segment 116 and the upper segment 12% to the lower segment 122 forms two like re-enforced elongated flanges 126, 123, each flange being of the same length and width as a segment, but of double thickness. The flange 126 is unitary at its center with a central upper portion of the section 54 but has free ends 131), 132 which are separated from the section 54 by the cuts 63, 65, respectively. Likewise, the flange 128 is aihxed at its center to a central upper portion of the section 52; but has free ends 134, 136 which are separated from the section 52 by the cuts 88, 90, respectively.

The flanges 126, 128 folded and glued in the manner just described, thus present an upper margin of the circular hat platform which, by virtue of its double thickness is heavier and consequently stronger and stiffer than other parts of the platform 14.

The top edge 61 8 of the platform is not a raw unsightly edge but, rather, is a somewhat thicker, strong attractive and finished folded edge. As will be subsequently more fully described, this top edge bears directly against the hat brim and is rounded (by the fold) and thickened in order to spread the area of pressure on the brim and thus leave no noticeable marks.

In preparation for the insertion of the hat platform 14 into the hat box 12, the sets 92, 1152 of gores are folded inwardly toward one another. That is to say, the set 92 is folded along the perforated lines 94, 96 inwardly so that the gores 98, 1013 fold along these lines and also along the fold line 71 against one another. The set 192 similarly is folded along the perforated lines 1 14, 1% inwardly so that the gores 168, 1-10 fold along these lines and also along the fold line 68 against one another. The fold lines 68 and 70 thereby move to a position wherein they are collinear and are parallel to the folded edges 60, 84.

The hat platform 14, thus folded, is inserted into the folded hexagon hat box 12 so that the bottom wall 16 separates the sections 52 54. That is, the flap 74 is located flat against the section 22 of the bottom 'wall 16 and the flap 82f is located flat against the section 24 of the bottom wall. The hat platform is affixed to the hexagonal hat box by gluing the flaps 74, 82 to their atiiliated bottom wall sections 22, 24. The flaps are glued in a location on their respective affiliated bottom wall sections so that the fold lines 68, 70 of the sets of gores lie upon and are substantially co-incident with the center-fold 26 of the hexagonal hat box (see FIG. 1) and so that the hat platform .is longitudinally centered along the centerfold. The sets 92, 192 of gores straddle the folded bottom wall of the box, one gore of each set being placed against one bottom wall section, so that the aforementioned insertion can proceed to a point at which the fold lines 68, 76 contact and lie upon the bottom wall centerfold 26.

This cooperation between the sets of gores and the folded bottom wall is essential for the placement of the folded hat platform 14 in the folded hat box 12. The construction of the hexagon hat box assembly 19 is now complete and it can be stored in its flat condition ready for use. The previously described steps are carried out at the site of manufacture, and the hat box assembly 11) is sold in this condition to retail stores, hat manufacturers and the like.

The first step in setting up the hexagon hat box assembly is the erection of the hexagon hat box 12. This is done, as previously described, by pressing the opposite sides of the hat box inwardly toward one another in the directions A, B so asto open or expand the ring of side walls 18 and to unfold the sections 22, 24, thereby providing a flat bottom wall 16 which closes the bottom side of the ring. This erected condition of the hexagonal hat box is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5.

As shown therein, the unfolding of the sections 22, 24 forces the flaps 74, 82 apart thereby opening the continuous wall by moving the sections 52 54 away from one v of gores.

another so that the hat platform defines a somewhat lenticularly-shaped (double convex) volume. At this stage of the erection, the bottom edges 72, $6 are further apart than the top edges 53, 84 so that the sections 52 54 are inwardly canted. The sets 92, 1112 of gores are partially open, but are still somewhat inwardly inclined, having been brought to this position by the unfolding of the bottom wall. The flaps 74, 82), being fixed, respectively, to the bottom wall sections 22, 24 bend outwardly, respectively, along the fold lines 75, 81 at obtuse angles to the sections 54, 52 of the hat platform to which they are respectively attached.

The next step is the full outward extension of the sets 92 and 192 of gores by an outward push on the fold lines 68, 76 by the assemblers hands, after his hands have been placed into the hat box and within the partially open hat platform. In this final position of the sets of gores, the fold lines 70, 68 of the sets 92, 162 of gores, respectively, are moved to a substantially vertical orientation, i.e. said fold lines are now perpendicular to the plane of the bottom wall and they touch the center-fold 26 on diametrically opposed sides of the hat platform. The abutment of the bottom edges of the gores 98, 1%, 198, 119 against the bottom wall forces the inwardly canted upper portions of the sections 52 54 somewhat more apart to an upstanding position substantially perpendicular (vertical) to the bottom wall 16. The continuous wall thereupon defines a lenticular (double convex) volume, whose biconvex sides are formed by the sections 52 54 and whose cusps are formed by the sets 92, 102

The sides of such volume are somewhat flattened by the straight edges of the flaps 74, 82 at the fold lines 75, 81.

To form an oval, as distinguished from a lenticular, top

: border one end 136 of one flange 128 is inserted within an adjacent end 132 of the other flange 126 and these ends are then joined as by a wire staple 138. FIG. 7 most clearly shows the aforementioned construction. The flange 128, made up of the upper segment 126 and the lower segment 122 is inserted within the flange 126 between the upper segment 114 and the lower segment 116 (not glued together at this area). That is to say, the outer end of the segment 12% is located internally of and adjacent to the outer end of the segment 114 and the outer end of the segment 122 is located internally of and adjacent to the outer end of the segment 126 so that the end 136 of one flange overlies the end 132 of the other flange.

The other ends 130, 134 of the flanges, respectively 126, 128 are similarly coupled and joined as by another wire staple 141).

The stiifness of the flanges 126, 128, caused by the doubling of the two afiiliated segments, forms an upper margin of the platform which is of double paperboard thickness and which is stiffer than the body of the remainder of the hat platform. When the ends of the flanges 126, 128 are overlapped and fastened as aforementioned they thereby form a substantially oval continu ously curved top band 142 which is joined to the lower lenticular body of the hat platform at diametrically opposed portions and which is free from the remainder of the body adjacent the flange ends 132, 136 and the flange ends 1311, 134. That is, the band 142 has the same curvature as the sections 52 54 where it is directly joined thereto but is smoothly curved at its ends. Where the band is joined to the sections 52 54, the flexing of the band caused by the overlapping joining of its ends slightly outwardly bows the upper edges of said sections. Thus the entire upper margin of the platform has no breaks or flats in its continuous curvature.

The flanges combine to form this oval band 142, firstly, because of the inherent stiffness of the band which is of double paperboard thickness, secondly, because no transverse fold lines are provided along which the band can bend, thirdly, because the joining of the flange ends has,

in effect, made both flanges into one integral continuous unit, and, fourthly, because the continuously curved oval configuration applies substantially equal deforming stress on all parts of the flanges.

The aforesaid stapling keeps the hat platform in a esired oval configuration ready to receive an inverted mans hat. The brim of the hat rests upon the top edge of the re-enforced band and the crown of the hat snugly fits internally into the platform. The fixed position of the hat platform, i.e. the joining of the outer ends of the flanges rigidities the platform and prevents significant movement of the flaps 74, 82 which in turn prevents the bottom wall 16 from moving upward about its centerfold line 26. Thus, the stapling of the flanges prevents collapsing of the hat box.

Alternate means may be employed to couple the ends of the flanges, e.g. interlocking paper tabs and/or slots. These enable the box and platform to be refolded into fiat condition; however such alternate modes of coupling do not provide as smooth a joint as the telescopic arrangement and stapling heretofore described.

It will now be appreciated by a reader of the instant disclosure who is skilled in the trade that l have provided a hexagonal hat box assembly which is storable in flat condition jet which is easily assembled to its fully open (set-up) position ready to receive a hat. The aforesaid conjoint erection of the hat box and hat platform which has been described at length takes place by no more than pushing on the sides of the hat box, pushing out the gores of the hat platform and stapling the ends of the flanges together. This task may be readily learned by even the most unskilled and non-mechanically minded clerks in retail stores or employees in a hat factory and is, in fact,

practically suggested by the construction of the assembly itself.

A hat snugly seated within and on the platform 14 is prevented from shifting or otherwise moving within the hat box and such a hat carried therein will be safely transported to its desired location without damage. A purchaser of the hat will be pleased not only by the fact that his hat has arrived at his home in undamaged condition but also by the fact that he now has a safe and highly practical storage 'box for his hat.

It thus will be seen that I have provided a device which achieves the several objects of my invention and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In combination, a hexagon hat box including a foldable bottom wall and a ring of side walls, said box being erectable from a flat storage condition in which the bottom wall is folded along a center-fold line and is interposed between the collapsed side walls to an open condition in which the bottom wall is flat and closes the bottom end of the expanded ring of side walls; and

a hat platform for receiving and storing a hat and erectable conjointly with the erection of the hat box, said hat platform comprising a continuous upstanding wall and two opposed pairs of gores formed in diametrically opposed locations in the wall, and means affixing the hat platform within the hat box, said hat platform having a flat storage condition in which its continuous wall is folded flat in only two superimposed sections extending from gore to gore and within the collapsed ring of side walls of the hat box and in which its pairs of gores are folded to straddle the foldable bottom wall, each section being uncreased between the gores, said platform being erectable to an open condition in which its continuous wall defines a lenticularvolume adapted to receive therein the crown of the hat, the volume having both of its faces smoothly curved.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the gores, when the platform is open, are substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall.

3. In combination, a hexagon hat box including a foldable bottom wall and a ring of side walls, said box being erectable from a flat storage condition in which the bottom wall is folded along a center-fold line and is interposed between the collapsed side walls to an open condition in which the bottom wall is fiat and closes the bottom end of the expanded ring of side walls; and

a hat platform for receiving and storing a hat and erectable conjointly with the erection of the hat box, said hat platform comprising a continuous upstanding wall and two opposed pairs of gores formed in iametrically opposed locations in the wall, and means afiixing the hat platform within the hat box, said hat platform having a flat storage condition in which its continuous wall is folded fiat in only two superimposed sections extending from gore to gore and within the collapsed ring of side walls of the hat box and in which its pairs of gores are folded to straddle the foldable bottom wall, each section being uncreased between the gores, said platform being erectable to an open condition in which its continuous wall is substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall and defines a lenticular volume adapted to receive therein the crown of the hat, the volume having both of its faces smoothly curved.

4. In combination, a hexagon hat box including a foldable bottom wall and a ring of side walls, said box being erectable from a flat storage condition in which the bottom wall is folded along a center-fold line and isrinterposed between the collapsed side walls to an open condition in which the bottom wall is flat and closes the bottom end of the expanded ring of side walls; and

a hat platform for receiving and storing a hat and erectable conjointly with the erection of the hat box, said hat platform comprising a continuous upstanding wall, an upper marginal portion integral with the wall, and two opposed pairs of gores formed in diametrically opposed locations in the wall, and means affixing the hat platform within the hat box, said hat platform having a flat storage condition in which its continuous wall is folded fiat in only two superimposed sections extending from gore to gore and within the collapsed ring of side walls of the hat box and in which its pairs of gores are folded to straddle the foldable bottom wall, each section being uncreased between the gores, said platform being erectable to an open condition in which its continuous wall defines a lenticular volume adapted to receive therein the crown of the hat, the volume having both of its faces smoothly curved and in which said upper marginal portion forms a continuously curved oval ,top border.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein the wall is of paperboard, and wherein the top border, is of double thickness and includes a folded-over rounded top edge to bear against the hat brim.

6. In combination, a hexagon hat box including a foldable bottom wall and a ring of side walls, said box being erectable from a flat storage condition in which the bottom Wall is folded along a center-fold line and is interposed between the collapsed side walls to an open condition in which the bottom wall is flat and closes the bottom end of the expanded ring of side walls; and

a hat platform for receiving and storing a hat and erectable conjointly with the erection of the hat box, said hat platform comprising a continuous upstandin wall, an upper marginal portion integral with the wall, and two opposed pairs of gores formed in diametrically opposed locations in the wall, and

means affixing the hat platform within the hat box, said hat platform having a flat storage condition in which its continuous wall is folded flat in only two superimposed sections extending from gore to gore and within the collapsed ring of side walls of the hat box and in which its pairs of gores are folded to straddle the foldable bottom wall, each section being uncreased between the gores, said platform being erectable to an open condition in which said upper marginal portion forms a continuously curved oval top border.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein the border is joined directly to the continuous wall at opposed locations and is free from the wall at opposed locations spaced from said first named opposed locations.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein the top border is formed from two coextensive elongated flanges, said flanges each having a central portion which is joined directly to the continuous wall at opposed locations thereof and each having free ends which are over- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 958,070 5/10 Aubuchon 206-8 1,591,629 7/26 Huye 206-9 1,623,715 4/27 Berkowitz 206-8 1,721,143 7/ 29 Berkowitz 2068 2,225,483 12/40 Payne 206-8 2,257,151 9/41 Berke 2068 2,499,780 3/50 Rottman 2068 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

0 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A HEXAGON HAT BOX INCLUDING A FOLDABLE BOTTOM WALL AND A RING OF SIDE WALLS, SAID BOX BEING ERECTABLE FROM A FLAT STORAGE CONDITION IN WHICH THE BOTTOM WALL IS FOLDED ALONG A CENTER-FOLD LINE AND IS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE COLLAPSED SIDE WALLS TO AN OPEN CONDITION IN WHICH THE BOTTOM WALL IS FLAT AND CLOSES THE BOTTOM END OF THE EXPANDED RING OF SIDE WALLS; AND A HAT PLATFORM FOR RECEIVING AND STORING A HAT AND ERECTABLE CONJOINTLY WITH THE ERECTION OF THE HAT BOX, SAID HAT PLATFORM COMPRISING A CONTINUOUS UPSTANDING WALL AND TWO OPPOSED PAIRS OF GORES FORMED IN DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED LOCATIONS IN THE WALL, AND MEANS AFFIXING THE HAT PLATFORM WITHIN THE HAT BOX, SAID HAT PLATFORM HAVING A FLAT STORAGE CONDITION IN WHICH ITS CONTINUOUS WALL IS FOLDED FLAT IN ONLY TWO SUPERIMPOSED SECTIONS EXTENDING FROM GORE TO GORE AND WITHIN THE COLLAPSED RING OF SIDE WALLS OF THE HAT BOX 